The day after I arrive at my holiday destination is Nyepi. Nyepi is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation. Ob­served from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflectionand as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are: no lighting fires, no working, no entertainment or pleasure, no traveling, and for some, no talking or eating at all. Although Nyepi is primarily a Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali observe the day of silence as well, out of respect for their fellow citizens.

Our hotel windows will be covered in newspaper to help block out any lights and it is requested that IF you have your tv on, it is at a lower level so as to not be excessive.

The next day is called Kuningan Day. It is the time for commemoration as the ancestors return to the heaven after ten days of dwelling on Earth and the Balinese express their gratitude to gods for His mercy to the human races. Therefore, it is a time for holiday, visiting each other and fun.

Many people travel back to their villages during these few days. So, its a great time to unwind and really relax for us who are on holidays. I have a massage booked in on Nyepi day, and plan to lounge by the pool, observing the local traditions and beginning my holiday super relaxed~!

I do plan however, to take on my opponent in a fantastic game of chess... it seems to be a great tradition...it also seems that I am still learning, but its great fun to play with giant pieces.. it makes the game even more fun~